Stephan M Arleaux

White Chapel Stephan M Arleaux

A young blonde woman, her golden hair illuminated, screams. She is the seventh victim of a serial killer known as "The Venguer," who targets young blonde women on Tuesday evenings in London's 'White Chapel' district. That night, Daisy Olds a blonde model, is at a fashion show when she and the other showgirls hear the news. The blonde girls are horrified; hiding their hair with dark wigs or hats. Daisy laughs at their fears, and returns home to her parents, Jack and Mrs Rosemary Olds, and her policeman sweetheart, Tom; they have been reading about the crime in the newspaper. A handsome young man, bearing a strong resemblance to the description of the murderer, arrives at the house and asks about the room for rent. Rosemary shows him the room, which is decorated with portraits of beautiful young blond women. The man is rather secretive, which puzzles Rosemary. However he willingly pays her a month's rent in advance, and asks only for a little to eat. Rosemary is surprised to see that the lodger is turning all the portraits around to face the wall he politely requests that they be removed. Daisy comes in to remove the portraits, and an attraction begins to form between Daisy and the lodger. The women return downstairs, where they hear the lodger's footsteps as he paces the floor. The relationship between Daisy and the reclusive lodger gradually becomes serious, and Tom, newly assigned to the Venguer case, begins to resent this. The following Tuesday, Rosemary is awoken late at night by the lodger leaving the house. She attempts to search his room, but a small cabinet is locked tight. In the morning, another blonde girl is found dead, just around the corner. The Time: 1958 The Place: London